ABOUT US

Ruakokoputuna Extra Virgin Olive Oil is absolutely unique and is quite unlike any other Extra Virgin Olive Oil produced in New Zealand.

We have a very special location which has all the right "ingredients" for producing Extra Virgin Olive Oils of individuality and outstanding quality.

The Olive Grove is in the heart of the beautiful Ruakokoputuna Valley just 15mins drive south of Martinborough and is situated on an ancient alluvial river terrace which consists of deep free-draining gravel formed over many thousands of years, climatic conditions have also assisted the deposit of nutrient rich sediments from the glaciers.

We believe that our olive trees seek the elements in these sediments to give Ruakokoputuna Extra Virgin Olive Oil it's exceptional and quite distinctive flavours, assisted also by the long hot summers and cool winters.

Ruakokoputuna Olives was established in 1999, following one of our trips abroad to France & Italy. On this particular trip we stayed on an Olive Grove and it was then that we decided that we wanted to come back to New Zealand to buy some land and start growing something. Two months later, after a great deal of research we decided on the perfect location and that we would grow olives, and in November 1999 we purchased the land and in the autumn of 2000 we started to plant the olive grove - we chose a variety of olives and these are Pendolino, Leccino, Frantoio, Picual, Manzanillo, Kalamata, Uovo di Piccione, Picholene & Koroneiki ,1900 in total and all planted with our own bare hands!

Our philosophy is to simply produce the very best extra virgin olive oil possible.
We have no intention of mass-producing supermarket quality oil, in order to compete with this sector of the market it would mean sacrificing quality which we are not prepared to do. We would like our discerning customers to enjoy our passion for this "liquid gold" and recognise it for what it represents.